


Comforting a Friend

by MaxRev



Series: Virmire Week [1]
Category: Mass Effect Trilogy
Genre: Other, Pillow & Blanket Forts, flufffff, silliness
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-03-25
Updated: 2020-03-25
Packaged: 2021-03-01 03:33:54
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,689
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23308414
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/MaxRev/pseuds/MaxRev
Summary: Kaidan sees Ashley is having a hard time adjusting to the Normandy and dealing with the loss of her squad. He has an idea...
Relationships: Kaidan Alenko & Ashley Williams
Series: Virmire Week [1]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1676215
Comments: 2
Kudos: 5





	Comforting a Friend

Kaidan walked into the mess at 0600, freshly showered, hair perfectly in place despite the hour. Mornings were not his strong suit - no matter how many early mornings he’d suffered through in the Alliance - and he made a beeline for the coffee pot. Hot and fresh first thing in the morning, a rarity at any other time of the day. The primary reason he found it a bit easier to get up when his alarm when off at the ass crack of dawn. 

Pouring the liquid gold into his cup while glancing around for the sugar, he heard shuffling and looked around. 

The newest member of the Normandy, Ashley Williams, sat at a table all by herself. Other soldiers enjoyed their chow and personal morning brew, tea or coffee, in groups of two or three. None of them bothering to include her. 

A wave of sympathy moved through him. He knew what it felt like to be on the outside looking in. It surely didn’t help their CO hadn't been too happy with Kaidan for bringing her aboard in order to fill Jenkins' vacancy. 

But Kaidan had seen the way she fought, how she'd pushed through. It had to be painful and horrific to lose your whole squad in such a way. Maybe it was why Shepard was less than thrilled but ultimately hadn't resisted too much - he knew how it felt first hand. Now their CO, he was slowly beginning to warm up to her. Maybe there was hope after all. 

Pushing his thoughts aside, he approached her table, "Mind some company?"

She didn’t even look up at him which made Kaidan think maybe she didn't want company, which would explain why no one had sat with her. Giving him a flat, noncommittal, "Have a seat," followed by a sarcastic, "I don't own the ship," he wondered if sitting with her was a good idea at all. However, it took more than an attitude to sway him.

He savored the first heavenly sips of his coffee in an effort to wake up and engage her properly. This would take finesse and care. For Williams, you needed to be firing on all cylinders. Something he’d observed about her immediately. 

Half a cup down, he figured he was ready, starting with something simple, "Have breakfast yet?"

A sullen, "No," was his only response. 

Perfect. Getting up, he went to grab two trays of powdered eggs, microwaved pancakes and of course, imitation bacon. Back at the table, he set a tray down in front of her. “Here you go. Eat up.” 

He began to eat his own breakfast, watching as she simply stared at hers. Voice soft, he told her, “You need to eat, Ashley. You need to go on, keep their memory alive.” Swallowing a bite of bacon while trying to hide his distaste, he added, “Don’t let them be forgotten.” 

She’d been staring at her plate, making no move to eat any of it. After his speech, she picked up her fork but only played with her eggs, moving them around the tray, yet still not eating them. 

Sullen dark brown eyes gazed up at him, “I should have died with them.” 

Her words were rough, tumbling from her lips. Kaidan could plainly hear the anguish she tried to hide. Her fork continued to move the food around instead of eating it. 

“You have sisters, right? Younger ones?” An idea had just occurred to him. It was crazy and would probably have the whole ship laughing or thinking he was nuts but after Eden Prime, a respite was needed. Even laughter. It is was at his own expense, so be it. Ashley needed something else to focus on. “But you didn’t. You’re here and alive. Listen, I’m here to help if you need me. Just let me know.” 

She looked back up at him, then, genuine relief and hopefulness in her gaze. Acting tough was a defense mechanism. Oh, how well he knew that having been through BaAT. “Really?” 

“Yeah, really.” 

A smile, tentative, tipped the corners of her lips. “Thanks, LT. I really appreciate it.” 

Not wanting to lose what headway he’d made, he nodded and finished his breakfast. Ashley sat up straight and began to eat with a bit more enthusiasm. Grabbing his empty tray and cup, he got up and left the mess. 

The idea he had spurring him into action. 

A few hours later, with Shepard’s okay, he stepped back from what he was doing in the observation deck. Looked just like he remembered as a kid. He could get Ashley now. She was likely down in the cargo bay, cleaning and fixing weapons. 

Stepping from the elevator in the cargo bay, he saw he’d been correct in his assessment. He walked over, “Hey, Ashley. Got a minute?” She didn’t have any orders other than doing what she currently was. 

Looking up from the weapon, she glanced over at him, one dark eyebrow sliding up, “Uh, sure. I’m nearly done with cleaning these anyway.” 

Stopping what she was doing, she turned and leaned against her work station. “So, what’s up, LT?”

“I…” he rubbed the back of his neck. This seemed silly in retrospect but he pushed on, resolute, “I’ve got something to show you. Meet me outside the observation deck as soon as you’re done with the weapon there.” 

Without waiting for a response, he turned and made for the elevator. He had to stop at the mess first. Maybe he was a chicken for not waiting to see her reaction. The look on her face when she saw his idea was more important right now. 

Grabbing what he needed from the mess, he met Ashley at the observation deck. She stood just outside the door, glancing at him as he approached. “Are you always this mysterious, LT?” 

“A man has to have some secrets,” was his only answer. 

He tapped the lock and the doors opened. She glanced around, taking in everything he’d done, “What’s this?” 

Unable to discern from her voice or body language what she thought, he hedged, “You can’t tell?” He walked across the room and placed his items from the mess near the setup he’d created. 

“Well, yeah, I can. But...why?” 

He turned and gazed at her, “I thought you might enjoy just...letting go for a bit. I know how much your squad...your family...meant to you. As much as we all mean to each other on this ship.” She snorted in response but he pushed on, knowing she didn’t truly feel a part of the Normandy yet, “I thought a little bit of fun might help.” 

Her eyes gazed at all he’d done, for her. She was quiet for a while, overwhelmed. 

Before her was an array of chairs from wherever he could find them, placed in a circle with standard Alliance Navy issue blankets thrown over the top. One side was open to the room. On the wall opposite the opening hung a couple of white sheets placed side by side. 

Inside were mounds of pillows and even more blankets. Ashley wondered if he’d stripped every bed in the crew’s quarters...and who he’d bribed to use them all. 

Inside the fort were a stock of sodas and snacks. Where had he gotten all this stuff? She looked back at him, watching as he poured popcorn into a bowl. He’d gone to a lot of trouble to do this, for her. 

She blurted, “So, you made a blanket fort?” 

He couldn’t stop the blush forming across his cheeks. Good thing she couldn’t see it from behind him, “Uh...yeah.” Words tumbled from his lips in the answering quiet, “Didn’t you ever make them with your sisters growing up? I did with my cousins. It was always fun and gave us a sense of comfort, of happiness in the face of whatever catastrophes going on in our lives, little as they were back then. We all need those feelings, even when we’re adults. The comfort, the joy...a sense of peace in the midst of chaos.”  
Ashley smiled at him, a genuine one this time. It was the first real smile he’d seen on her face since she’d boarded the Normandy. “I do remember them.” She looked back at the fort, “Some of the happiest memories I have are us making blanket fort whenever we moved when my dad was stationed somewhere new. We only had each other much of the time.” Glancing to the opposite wall, she asked, “But what’s up with the sheets?” 

He grinned, grabbed the bowl of popcorn and walked over to crawl inside the fort, motioning for her to join him, “I heard through some scuttlebutt, Top Gun is your favorite movie.: He tapped on his omni-tool. Soon, the opening music played over the speakers in the ceiling and the movie began, playing across the sheets. 

Ashley laughed and impulsively, leaned over and hugged him, causing him to turn red in embarrassment, “Kaidan! This is amazing! It’s perfect!” 

Smiling at her enthusiasm, encouraged by the sparkle in her dark brown eyes, Kaidan handed her the bowl of popcorn. They both dug into it, popping handfuls in their mouths and grabbed a soda each, before settling against the pillows to watch the movie. 

Only fifteen minutes into it, the door whooshed open. They turned as one, hands full of popcorn pausing in front of their mouths as if caught red-handed. 

Shepard walked in, glanced at the makeshift screen and then at two of his soldiers currently huddled together inside a blanket fort. Always intense, clear blue eyes, focused on them, his dark eyebrows raised. Kaidan became worried. He had okayed the idea with him first. Was he upset now? 

“So, can anyone join this party?” 

Sighing with relief, they both nodded. They made room for him, the three of huddled inside the fort, reclining against the pillows, suddenly lobbing popcorn kernels at each other. 

The three of them formed a tight bond in that moment. Kaidan just knew their solid friendship would see them through the war ahead. No matter what.


End file.
